Apparatus for distilling petroleum



(NoModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. KELLS.

APPARATUs FOR DISTILLING PETROLEUM. No. 298,210.

Patented May 6, 1884.

.dttor ney N. PEYEIS. Pholn-Lilhagnphor. Wilhillglon. n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. KELLS.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING PETROLEUM;

Patented May 6, 1884.

' INVEA/TOR 6177M (Lllx 7- 61. 9.

.Attorney WITNESSES v Wow/(J Z 5L4 It PETERS. Pinto-lhnn her. Wampu B (L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDYVARD KELLS, OF OLEVELAN D, OHIO APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING PETROLEUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,210, dated May 6, 1884.

Application filed November 26, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARD KELLs, a citizen of the United States of America, residingat Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Apparatus for Distilling Petroleum and its Products, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved means for distilling petroleum and its products; and the objects are, first, to provide an improved, economical, safe, and efficient. apparatus for the purposes intended; second, to provide safe and reliable means for conveying the inflammable vapors to the combustion-chambers of the furnace or boilers and utilizing them therein as fuel.

The general practice has been heretofore to receive the distillates as they ran from the stills in open pans or troughs, thus exposing the material to the atmosphere, by-which exposure the incondensable and inflammable vapors are subject to become ignited spontaneously, or by any trivial cause.

It is the purpose of my improvementsto e11- tirely remove these objectional features in the art, and to provide a safe and sure remedy against the liability to accidents.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by means of the organized apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view, partlyin section, showing the complete apparatus. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of a receiving-box having two steam-pipes fixed therein, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the same.

The letter A represents asection of a condenser or cold-Water tank. This tank is made,

preferably, of wood,-and of such dimensions andcapacity as to meet all the requirements.

The letter 13 represents pipes leading from the stills, and entering the water-tank through proper passages in the end of the tank, are extended, and enter the receptacle near the upper part and. project a distance therein, as shown. These pipes are preferably laid in an inclined or descending position,which gradually increases in descent from the end of the water-tank, to the receptacle in the tank, the direction commencing at nearly a horizontal line and forming a curve from the end of the condenser or water-tank to their connection with or entry into the receiving-boxes. In practice, I find it preferable to lay the pipes for the first twenty-five feet with a descent of one inch for that length, and very gradually increase the descent to the entrance of the pipes into the receptacles, the object of the curvature being to retard and retain the distillates a longer time within the pipes, and thus securing and insuring eificient action of the condensing medium on the distillates. Particularly does thiseffect the condensation of those lighter and vaporous substances which, under other and usual circumstances, are refractory and pass through the condenser without being liquidized. v

The letter 0 represents receiving boxes or receptacles, in which the distillates are depos- .ited from the pipes leading therein. These boxes are preferably made of wood, strong enough to serve the purpose intended, and are immersed in the water in the tank, substantially as shown. They may be weighted to keep them in position, if necessary. It will be seen that these boxes do notserve merely as receptacles, but also operate as condensers to a certain extent, because, as the vapors may reach them, they will still be acted on by the cooling effects of the water in the tank A. The water in this tank is of such depth as to cover the pipes B and the receptacles O, and may be of any desired depth to accomplish this purpose.

The letter D represents the discharge-pipe, one end of which is set in the side of the receiving-box near the bottom, and from thence is led through the side of the tank to the receiving-house. After the oil has passed from the receptacle 0 and in its course through the discharge-pipe D, there may still be a small quantity of water with it. The water, being heavier than the oil, flows down on the bottom of the pipe, and unless means are pro-v vided for its separation from the oil it follows on and flows into the oil-receiver. I have provided a simple and effective means to accomplish the purpose of separating this water from the oil; and it consists in a water-catch formed of a bent tube, a, which is secured to the under side of the oil-discharge pipe at any point outside of the tank. In this tube is placed sufficient water to serve as a seal against the waste of the oil at this point. The leg of the tube fixed to the oil-discharge pipe is made the longer in order that as it may be filled by accumulation of water from the oil-discharge pipe, the water in the short leg shall be lifted and discharge through the pipe I), fixed to the tube,and through which it is discharged into any desirable vessel. It will be observed from the foregoing that this bent tube affords no eseapefor the oil, but that whatever water comes down the pipe is deposited therein, while the oil passes on to the receiver into which the pipe D opens.

The letter E represents vap0r-conducting pipes the lower ends of which are fitted in and open into the discharge-pipes, and from thence extend to the combustion-ehambers of the boilers or furnaces. These pipes serve to convey uncondensed vapors to the combustion-cha-mbers of the furnace or boilers, and to that extent supply fuel.

The letter F represents pipes let through the top of the receptacle and extending nearly to the bottom thereof, and are for the purpose of blowing steam through the-receptacles to cleanse them; or they 'may be attached to a pump and serve as discharge means for accumulations of sand or other matter.

It will be seen from the foregoing I utilize the vaporous and incondensable substances of the oil by conveying them, without exposure and in safety, to the combustion-chamber of the furnace or boilers, and at the same time, by arranging and disposing the receptacles under the water, I insure safety against explosion or fire. I also avoid those unpleasant results emanating from a diffusion of the "a pors about the premises.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, I have shown my improvements as consisting of two receivingboxes deposited and arranged in the waterbox,andhaving the vapor-discharge pipes and cleansing or flushing pipes brought up and together, with a single pipe leading from the center of each, the pipes in each instance being provided with suitable stop-cocks, c, as shown, the purposes of which are obvious but the adaptability of my improvements to a tank containing asingle receiving-box, or more than two, will be readily perceived by those skilled in the art.

The receptacles may be made of any dimensions to suit the requirements or number of pipes from one or more stills. They should be sufliciently strong to withstand the steam or boiler pressure which may be applied to them when pumping from or removing accumulations therefrom, and they should be nearly, and preferably are wholly, surrounded by cold water; and for the purpose of obtaining the full effect of the condensing medium on the pipes I place the boxes at the discharging end of the water-tank and at or near the bottom.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination, the water box or tank, the receiving box or boxes immersed therein, the condensing-pipes opening into the receiving-boxes, and the discharge-pipe provided with a bent tube, a, fixed to its under side, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination, the water tank or box, the receiving box or boxes immersed therein, the condensing-pipes opening into the receiv-' ing-boxes, the flushing or pumping pipe let into the receiving-boxes, and the dischargepipe, substantially as described.

3. I11 combination, the water tank or box, the receiving-boxes immersed therein, the con- (lensing-pipes opening into the receivingboxes, the flushing or pumping pipes let into the receiving-boxes, the discharge-pipe, and the vapor-conducting pipe, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the water tank or box and the receiving-box immersed therein, one or more condensing-pipes. opening into the receiving-box, said condensing-pipes being laid in a descending curve from the end of the tank to their entrance in the receivingbox, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination with the discharge-pipe of a receivingbox, the bent tube a, fixed to the underside of the discharge-pipe, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my signature in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

EDWARD KELLS.

Attest:

J. \V. Sco'rr, G. H. Fos'rnn. 

